Love Like You
by hummingyay
Summary: Love Eater spoilers. Ladybug's feel tired and alone these days, especially after suffering some major losses. Luckily, Chat Noir's around to help her if she stumbles. LadyNoir


**Notes: **If you haven't seen Love Eater, then make like a tree and get out of here. Love Like You from Steven Universe is one of my favorite songs to write to, and the song always makes me inexplicably sad. Hence, we have this angst-fluff fix-it fic because I'm tired of Marinette getting kicked around the place. (flips table) WHY CAN'T THEY LET HER BE HAPPY?!

She's the best girl in the world, and we drink Respect Marinette Juice in this house. Also, peep some of Rebecca Sugar lyrics in the dialogue.

* * *

**Love Like You**

Marinette had always considered being chosen as Ladybug to be a blessing, but after the day she'd just had, she wasn't entirely sure anymore. She thought she'd been so strong, so _hopeful_, so prepared—she hadn't seen the proverbial rug being ripped right up from underneath her feet.

Fu was gone.

The miracle box was gone, into the hands of a thief who threatened the cosmic balance of the universe.

Her home, family, friends—the entire world was now at the mercy of Hawkmoth.

And Marinette blamed herself for it.

The sight of Adrien and Kagami sharing an ice cream that she had been hoping to share with her crush mere months before was just another consequence of her terrible luck.

Not even Chat Noir was his normal self to help pick her up.

Ladybug slumped from her place on the Eiffel Tower. She didn't know what she was doing there. There wasn't a patrol scheduled, and as far as she could see, Paris was mercifully quiet tonight. It was one of those nights in which she could actually bask in the glow of the city and merely enjoy the sights and the sounds that enveloped her.

Perfect conditions for a rest on normal days.

Too bad Marinette couldn't do that.

Perched on top of the tower, Marinette could hardly make out the shapes of the buildings and people around her. Crying her heart out to Luka resulted in swollen, itchy eyes, her head was throbbing, her heart felt like it'd be trampled over, and her mind was racing too fast for her to actually keep up with.

She couldn't afford to let everyone down, and if that meant that Marinette was going to be unhappy for a bit, then that was going to be minor consequence that she was resigned to accept.

Her earrings felt uncomfortably heavy.

In the distance, Ladybug could just barely make out the silhouette of Chat Noir as he catapulted across the city towards her. She didn't even blink as he dropped down next to her, an uncomfortably detached aura surrounding him.

"Ladybug," he greeted formally.

Her heart throbbed at the surprisingly painful announcement of Chat's that afternoon. He didn't love her anymore because he had a _girlfriend_.

_Just another consequence, I guess_.

"Hey," she replied, her lips curling up into a small smile, "What are you doing out here? We don't have patrol."

Chat stretched, "I like taking strolls at night. Helps clear my head."

Ladybug nodded, "That makes sense…"

When Chat didn't offer a reply, Ladybug turned away from him, focusing her attention on the blurs down below. She spotted Andre the ice cream man pushing his cart down the street and frowned. Chat Noir noticed her line of sight, lighting up immediately at the sight of the older man.

"Do you like Andre's ice cream?" he asked casually, "I've only had a few times. I actually shared some today with my friend."

Another pang ripped through Ladybug, leaving her breathless.

Memories flashed before her.

Chat Noir being silly, protecting her, loving her, promising that he would always love her.

Adrien holding her hand as he dragged her onto the dance floor, sneaking out to the movies with her, smiling hopefully as he offered her his umbrella in the rain.

Marinette stumbling over every single chance to tell Adrien how she felt.

Ladybug rebuffing Chat Noir's advances.

Marinette accepting Chat Noir's rose.

Ladybug kissing Adrien's cheek after finding out how desperately he fought to save her.

Ladybug brought a gloved hand up to her earrings, gently brushing the magical stones. Like a switch, memories of Hawkmoth and Mayura, Fu, Queen Bee, and even Lila sprinted through her mind at a hundred miles a minute.

She could feel her eyes beginning to sting again.

_Oh no_…

Ladybug tried her best to fight back the sensation, instead choosing to ask Chat, "Oh…did you guys have fun today?"

She cringed at how chipper the words came from her mouth.

Chat noticed her change in tone as well, raising a questioning brow before launching into his story.

"It was a lot of fun," Chat shared, "Hopefully I'll be able to invite one of our other friends with us. She had to skip out on the ice cream, but I know she would've loved it."

_I really shouldn't have asked that, _Ladybug thought to herself.

"I see…" Ladybug replied, curling her knees up under her chin.

The truth was glaring Ladybug in the face, and she knew it. In the distance, the bells from a nearby church rang, its sound triggering the final painful truth.

True, Marinette loves Adrien with all of her heart. She loves him enough to let him go when she saw that he could be happy with someone else.

It was fine. It hurt, but Kagami was her friend, and she knew that they'd take care of each other. She'd live.

Ladybug, on the other hand?

She was in love with Chat Noir.

Her silly kitty, who knew how to make her feel better. Her partner, who was always there to support her and always cared for her, no matter the situation. Her best friend, who always put her safety above his own.

She loved him, and the realization felt like the sun rising in the morning.

It was inevitable.

Isn't it just her luck that the day she accepts this, she also found out that her kitty cat had moved on from her to someone who wasn't as stubborn as she was?

She could see the shapes and colors around her beginning to blur together and Ladybug _knew _it was coming.

She couldn't stop it.

"Ladybug."

She didn't even know if she had the will to stop it.

"Ladybug."

She was just so _tired _and she was _hurting _and she felt so alone and—

"Ladybug!"

Chat Noir's hands were placed firmly on her shoulders as he gently shook her from her reverie. Ladybug couldn't see him very well, only making out his bright green irises glowing in the night. She exhaled, the breath leaving her shakily.

Chat squeezed her shoulders, "…hey…are you okay, Ladybug?"

Her immediate reaction was to nod vigorously, hoping to shake some of the tears. She knew she was fighting a losing battle, especially when Chat slid his hands down her arms to capture her hands in his own.

"I'm fine!" she squeaked, "There's nothing wrong!"

Chat wasn't buying it, "You're not telling me the truth."

Ladybug opened her mouth to deny his gentle accusation, but the words couldn't come out. She quickly snapped her mouth shut, instead choosing to focus on her hands in Chat's. He squeezed firmly, silently conveying a message to Ladybug.

His hands easily held hers, their warmth and strength providing some comfort to Ladybug.

Chat leaned down to Ladybug, carefully eyeing the girl who looked she was two seconds from losing it.

"Please," he whispered into the night, "You're my best friend. Please tell me what's wrong, my Lady."

My Lady.

My _Lady_.

_My Lady_.

The words were so simple, and yet they were so precious to Ladybug. And with her hands securely in his own, with his kind eyes breaking down any wall she tried to put up, and her will to fight her heart quickly dissolving, Ladybug made a choice.

She squeezed his hands, holding onto him like a lifeline before she made her choice.

Smiling, she finally let go.

The tears she'd been holding in all evening cascaded down her eyes, the truth dripping from her face to the city below. She could see Chat's eyes widening in shock, his hands loosening just the slightest bit.

She squeezed his hands tighter.

"No," Ladybug whispered, her smile quickly dropping, "I'm not okay. I'm not okay at all."

A sob escaped her lips, and Ladybug quickly let go of Chat's hands to cover her face. She nearly didn't register Chat gently wrapping her arms around her and pulling her into his chest as she cried. She could feel his claws fingertips brushing the back of her head.

"Chat," Ladybug cried, "I'm so _tired_. I'm so tired and I feel so alone and that I messed everything up!"

"You aren't alone," Chat told her, holding her closely, "You have _me. _You'll always have me, my Lady."

Ladybug shook her head, "I had a bad day," she confided, "I had a really bad day, and it was all my _fault_, and now Master Fu is gone! He's gone, and Hawkmoth has the miraculous box, and I just can't catch a break. I'm so _tired _of all these responsibilities, Chat! I'm just so tired of not being able to be who I am!"

Her cries were muffled by his chest, but Chat could feel every bit of anguish that seeped out of his partner.

"You can be yourself with me," Chat said, "You can always be yourself with me, my Lady."

"I can't afford to," Ladybug argued, "I let go for one second, and the miracle box gets _stolen_—"

"We'll get the box back," Chat promised, "It'll just be you and me, like always."

"I'll just mess it up," Ladybug muttered, "I don't even know why Master gave me my miracul—"

"Don't even finish that sentence," Chat interrupted, "My Lady, you are the bravest, smartest, and kindest person that I know."

"That's not anything special," Ladybug said, "There are dozens of people who would do a better job, and not mess up as colossally as I did."

Chat shook his head, raising his hand to wipe away her tears, "Can't you see it? You are the only person in the world who can be Ladybug. Paris needs you, _I _need you—"

Something frightening close to hope began to emerge, but she fought to ignore it, burying herself further into the recesses of her own anguish. She shook her head again, lifting it off Chat's chest enough to look into his eyes.

"I wish that I knew what makes you think I'm so special…" she whispered to him.

Chat paused before lowering his hand to cup her cheek. She shuddered against its warmth, but stayed still as he peered down into her eyes, his iridescent eyes glowing in the dark.

"I've been saying it for months, my Lady," he murmured, "I _love _you."

Her heart throbbed once more as a fresh wave of tears spilled from Ladybug's eyes. She tried to back out of the arms, only to find Chat holding her firmly in place. Ladybug tried to stamp out the sparks of hope that ignited her nerves.

"You…You can't say that," she pointed out, slowly, "You have a _girlfriend_, remember?"

This time, it was Chat's turn to look regretful.

"I really tried to get over you," he admitted, "I tried to let myself become someone else's, but in the end, I couldn't go through with it."

Though it made sense, Ladybug could hardly believe it.

"Chat…"

He continued, "Even after you made your feelings abundantly clear and I tried to move on, I just couldn't do it," Chat was babbling at this point, ignoring Ladybug's small gasp, "I couldn't do it, and I'm sorry for that, I'm sorry for not being reliable when you're out here hurting. I'm so sorry Ladybug—"

"Chat…"

Tears had beaded at the corners of Chat's eyes as he continued, "I haven't been the best partner to you, and I'm sorry Ladybug."

"Chat—"

"I promise," he declared again, "that we will get the miraculous box back, and Hawkmoth will _pay _for what he's done. And this time, it'll be you and me, okay? Just like always."

Ladybug had once prided herself on being a positive beacon in the world, one that spreads hope and joy to the masses, who has the trust of all the citizens in Paris, but there wasn't anything more joyful to her than having Chat Noir reassure that he loved her and that he wanted to be there for her.

The light from the moon burst through the clouds, casting a brilliant light on Chat Noir. Through her tears, she could tell that he was smiling down at her. He was looking at her like she was the entire world.

Her heart burst from her chest, enveloping Ladybug in a warmth that quickly healed her wounds from this afternoon.

Hawkmoth had the miracle box, Fu was gone, and Marinette had just sacrificed her first love so he could be happy, but she figured that things might be okay.

They'd have to be. If Chat believed it would, then there wasn't any reason for her to not believe it. She decided that if she could be half of what Chat Noir thinks of her, she could do just about anything.

"Chaton," she began rising up onto her toes. Chat stilled in time for her to brush her lips against the corner of his mouth, attempting to convey the love and gratitude she felt towards her partner.

"Thank you," she breathed when she was back on her feet. _I love you_.

Chat grinned down at her, the twinkle in his eyes telling Ladybug that he would be there for her, regardless of what they were up against.

"Anything for my Lady."

For the first time in a while, Ladybug felt like she could do anything.


End file.
